Centrifugal machine



Oct' 16, 1945- E. M. SHIDELER ETA| 'l 2,387,095

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE Filed Feb'. 14, 1944 sheets-Sheet 2 l By, ma y Patented Oct. 16, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT o-FFICE Elbert M. Shideler and Harvey lynn Bloxom, Council Bluffs, IowaI Application February 14, 1944,' Serial No. 522,338 c claims. (el. 51-73) This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal machines, and has particular reference toa novel machine of that type wherein means are' provided for causing an object to be moved relativeto the' surface of a container for the object and'to be simultaneously forced against said surface ywitha strong-evenly distributed pressure. Y

A'i'nachine of the present kind may be used for many different purposes, such as abrading, or polishing objects, and specic uses may be such as abrading or polishing the edges of piezo-electric crystals orother objects to bevel or round or polish the edges, beveling or polishing the edges of lenses and other circularobjects, abrading or polishing spherical objects, et cetera. Y

Ihe principle ,involved in the present machine is the creation of a centrifugal force to press an object againsta surface, and tosimultaneouslyv cause arrelative movement between the object and the surface against which it is pressed by the centrifugal force. This effect is produced by providing a suitable container, revolving the container in an orbital path about an axis, and rotating the container about a second axis differentfrom that about which the container is revolved. An important feature of a machine of the presentkind is thefact that the force created is greater than that supplied by weight alone, and s aid force may be changed at will by controlling the rate of speed at which thecontainer is revolverl.V Another advantage of a machineof the present kind is the fact that the relative movement between the object and the surface'of the container may be varied by changing the speed at which the container is revolved in the orbital path. Still another advantage is that centrifugal forceapplied to objects of varying shapes and sizesA 4can be used to more uniformly press an object against the surface than is ordinarily possible by use of other pressure means.r v

.A specific object of the present invention is to provide a'centriiuga-l machine ofthe above kind which is comparatively simple and durable in construction,l efficient in operation, and otherwise well adapted to ymeet the requirements for a successful commercial use. Y

With the above considerations and objects in view, and others that will become, apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood,

the invention consists'in the novel form, combination andrarrangement of parts hereinafter more' fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed. y f n Inthe drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figurel 1 is a front elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and primarily designed for use in abrading the edges of piezo-electric crystals to bevel the same.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 2-'2 of Figure 1.V

Figure 3 is a similar view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.V

' Figure 4' is a central longitudinal sectional view taken on line li-Il of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlargedvcentral longitudinal sectional view of one of the containers or tubes for the Vobjects, or 'crystals to be abraded'or beveled, partly broken away.

'Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6-'-'6 of Figure 5.

While a machine of the present kind may be adapted for many diierent purposes and uses, the principle and essential elements of the machine Will be understoodand realized from thev disclosure of a machine primarily designed for use-in beveling the edges of flat objects, such as piezo-electric crystals. Accordingly, such a machine has been illustrated byl way of example, and the same consists of spaced standards or supports 5 havingV horizontally aligned bearings 6 in which is Ajournaled aV shait f1, one end of which projects outwardly of one of the supports Sand has a pulley 8or the like secured thereon to facilitate driving ofthe shaft I continuously from any` suitable source'of power. Obviously, any desired or preferred means may be provided fox` starting or stopping rotation of shaft l or varying theL speed 'or' rotation thereof.

vSecured upon thel shaft l between the supports' a'rettedn bearings Il, the openings Ill being at corresponding distances from the shaft l and the axes of Vthe discs 9. aligned' bearings of the discs 9 are tubular containers I2 which are disposed parallel to the shaft 'l and toeach other, and these containers are closed at corresponding ends, as at i3, and temporarily closed at the remaining corresponding ends by removable plugs or other closures lli.

Adjacent the ends of containers l2 which are closed permanently, as at I3, and at the outer side of the adjacent disc `5, a stationary eccentric I5is'provided through'which the shaft l revolubly extends. The eccentric may be restrained against rotationin any suitable way, such as by rigidly connecting-the same to the bearing 6 of the adjacent support 5, as shown. Revolubly fitted on the eccentric Yl5 is a vring I6 having openings at uniform intervals in which bearings Il are fitted,'-said bearings being located in a circular I6 which is coincident with the axis Yoli eccentric I5 and below the shaft"|. Crank pins I8 rotatably engage in the bearings Il andare carried by the depending ends of crank arms YI9 -xed on the adjacent ends ofcontainers ,l2l yI nuse, the

Rotatably supported in crystals are then retained in place by'replacing the closures I4. In operation, shaft 'I is rotated so as to causeI the containers I2 to be revolved about the axis bodying an imperforate container of circular cross-section adapted for loose reception of objects to betreated, means ior supporting and revolvingv said container ma circular orbital path about a predetermined axis, said container being supported for free rotation about an axis different from. the axis about which the container is defined' by shaft I, said containers therefore' traveling in a circular orbital path. As the containers are thus revolved, they will be simultaneously rotated in the opposite direction about their own axes due to the connection of crank" arms i9 with ring Ii that turns on siiationary eccen- V'tric I5. In the arrangement shown, each container I"2 'is given one complete rotation about its own axis upon each complete revolution ofthe unitl composed ofdisc's s and containers [Z about the axis of shaft 'I.` "Ihus`,`the loose objects in the oontainersjwili be caused to assume an-y out- Ward position relative to the axis of shaft 1 under the innuen'cc of centrifugaliorce, thereby causing the edges of the objects to be pressed against the inner surfaces of the containers I2" with a uniform pressure. By placing a fine abrasive materiai in the containers', the edges of the objects or crystals may be` abraded so as to bevel the same, and the pressure at which the objects orv crystals 'are forced into engagement with the inner surfaces of the containers I2 may be readily varied by varying the speed of rotation of shaft 'I- and parts rotatable therewith;` Obviously, by removing the crystals and turning them one? quarter turn, the remaining edges of the same may be` abradedfor beveling them. By starting' and stopping themachinegtle objects or crystals may be caused'to turn over. In other Words, by periodically starting and stopping the machine, the lawoi averages may be brought' into play, so that each crystal will be 'evenly beveled on both sidesf It has' been found that crystals treatedl in this manner have a much larger per cent of satis.- iactorily beveled edg'esthan canbe obtained by li'andl operation'. and the time Vrequired to bevel the' edges is greatly reduced;

"It will,` ofcourse,A be understood that rthe num-` i.

ber of containers may bevaried, and other means maybe employed for causing rotation of the containers about axes independent ofthe axis of revolution about which the containers move in their orbital path.' Also, the invention is not limited 'to' the use of tubular containers, since a sphericalcontainer would be. desirable for bevelingbircular objects and abrading spherical surfaces. Aiso,.-the cross' sections of the containers may be varied to; suit requirements, as, for instanca rounded edge Vmay be secured in connec'tion' rectangular objects by utilizing oval containers instead 'of' round' or circular ones.

Stillffurther, the containers may be disposed at an angle r'to rt'heshai't 'l instead lof parallel there- WithQor the'ends'ofv the containers may be left opriltopermitwthe objects to be introduced in one erid'andto be automatically discharged at the other end of eachcontainer. Such refinements and. modications' will readily suggest themselves to those' skilled in the art, and their use will not constitute a depart'i'irefrom the spirit and scope oi thein vention4 as claimed.

' Whatwe claim as new is: y

'Anon-'cumming centrifuga; machine or the character rdescribed, comprising a structure emrevolved, and means to automatically'cause rotation off the container in one direction about the 'second-named axis when it is revolved in the opposite direction about the rst-named axis.

2'. A nontumbli'ng centrifugal machine of the character described, compr'ming a structure embodying supporting means rotatable about a predetermined axis, an imperfor'ate container of circularorosssection carried by 'said supporting means for revolution with they fatter about said axis, saidf container being freely'rotatable about its own axis, and means to cause rotation ofgsaid container" in one direction about its own axis when it is revolved wit'iisaid supporting'4 means in the opposite direction about the first-named 3. Anon-tumbling centrifugal machine of the character described, comprising a structure embodyingf a rotatable shaft having means to facil'- itate driving the same, spaced supporting discs fixed on and rotatable with saidY shaft, impermroratc containers of circular cross-section carried by said discs and freely rotatable relative thereto about axes spaced from the axisloi'said shaft, and means operatively connected to corresponding ends or ther containers for causing rotation of the latter one direction' about the Ysecond-namedaxes wheny they are revolved with the shaft in the opposite direction about the nist-named axis.

4. A non-tumbling centrifugal machine of the character described,l comprising a structure enrbodying a horizontal rotatable Vshaft having means to facilitate driving the same, a pair of spaced discs xed onk and rotatable with the shaft and having circular series of openings therein aligned in pairs and disposed: at corresponding distances from theshait, imperforate tubular containers of circular cross-section rotatably mounted in said openingsr and means` (merativelyvv connectc-zdA directly with. corresponding ends of the 1 ytubular containers for causing rotation of said f containers in one direction. about their own axes as said containers are revolved iny the' opposite direction Witlrthe shaft and discs.V Y

5. A centrifugal machine of the character de scribed, comprising a horizontal-' rotatable shaft f having means toi facilitate drivingthesama' al pair of spaced discs fixed onv and: rotatable with the shaft and having circular'. series of openings therein aligned in pairs .andi disposed 'ati corre spending distances from kthe shaft, tubular con-fy tainers rotatably mounted in saidA openings, and means operatively connected with. corresponding ends of the tubular containers for causing rotation of said containers. about their:v ovm 'axes as said containers are revolved with` the shaft discs, said last-named means comprising a' sta;-

tionary eccentric, a ring rotatably tted'on. saideccentric, and cranks carried by corresponding ends of the containers and operatively connected to said ring.

6. A structure as deiined in claim 2,. wflrereiriv the. last named means acts to maintain the same portion of the container uppermost throughout its orbital path of revolution about the first-named axis. v

ELBERT M.

HARVEY LYNN BLOXOM. 

